Hey guys,

I am very disapointed to hear the rear axle clunking around when I hit bumbs in my 1 week old 2002 GXE! When I get a one wheel hit on the left side it even makes a metalic clanking sound! What can this be and are there any TSB's out on the 5th gens for this maledy?

thank you for any help before I go to the dealer to complain,
chris

 

If you had a Addcco RSB then I would know how to fix that problem, but I think that you need to get your butt to the dealer and complain. Good luck Bro.

 

Hmm.. i have a 02 as well but haven't noticed that problem. I've hit some pretty good bumps doing 40+ mph and aside from the "jumps" from my seat i've never heard any clunking.

Have it checked out, you might have some probs there.

 

hmmmm the 02's are showing signs of Nissan's fine quality:P

 

check the tools in trunk, they might be loose.

 

my dealer told me there were no 2002 GXEs because of the whole altima moving up replacing it...etc...is this yet another salesperson 'why would they make that up?' story?

 

The rear beam axle has its limits. It can clunk if you hit speed bumps. Both my 2000 and 2002 exhibit this. Other than the speed bumps, no problems.

 

Hey Bud,

I also hear a metal clanking sound coming from the rear of the car. It does not happen all the time, and it does not happen on hard bumps just the "medium" bumps. I am not sure what it is, but I am going to try to re-seat the spare tire and see if that is the problem. I thought it might be the jack kit in the trunk but that was not loose.

I am not going to even bother with Nissan service dept. . I'm sure it will be the same song and dance with anything that they can not diagnose or don't know how to fix; "we can not reproduce the problem that you are experiencing..." blah, blah, blah....


Besides this minor issue I love my 2k2 max.

Tjz

 

Well, I do have a GXE and yall were right, dealer says must be stuff in my trunk banging around and that they cannot reproduce the problem. Overall I am very dissapointed with the limitations of the beam axle. It somehow manages to be worst of both worlds, both harsh over small bumps and soft and wallowy over dips...not to mention very unstable at any speed over 80mph. My '00 Dakota has a better rear suspension (live axle with leafs) for Christ sake! I guess I am in it for the long haul with these payments and I will try and upgrade the rear shocks maybe. I found some on tirerack.com called KYB GR-2, are these any good? Please help, I am becomming very disenchanted with my new Maxima purchase.

thanks,
chris

 

Well, I do have a GXE and yall were right, dealer says must be stuff in my trunk banging around and that they cannot reproduce the problem. Overall I am very dissapointed with the limitations of the beam axle. It somehow manages to be worst of both worlds, both harsh over small bumps and soft and wallowy over dips...not to mention very unstable at any speed over 80mph. My '00 Dakota has a better rear suspension (live axle with leafs) for Christ sake! I guess I am in it for the long haul with these payments and I will try and upgrade the rear shocks maybe. I found some on tirerack.com called KYB GR-2, are these any good? Please help, I am becomming very disenchanted with my new Maxima purchase.

thanks,
chris

 

KYB GR-2 are ok as OEM replacements.... do you want to get springs also?

 

A RSB is a must on a GXE. It helps on the SE too. You'll be amazed how it changes your handling and stability.

 

A RSB is a must on a GXE. It helps on the SE too. You'll be amazed how it changes your handling and stability.

 

So, I will get a RSB. Will a RSTB help at all? I've heard and read that the rear shelf bulkhead is stiff enough without this upgrade.

As for the shocks, I want something to keep the rear from bottoming on dips but nothing harsh on sharp bumps. Will a Tokico Performance shock (or coilover) or the before mentioned KYB do the trick here? I don't want to lower the car, should I still replace the springs back there?

Thanks for all the input guys!

 

Dam i had that clunking.... but ihad a Addco RSB.. its mostly gone.. i only get if i go into a 1 foot pothole
Roger

 

General consensus is: 1) while not essential, a rear sway bar is the most cost-effective suspension improvement you can put on 2)a FSTB is the next most cost-effective improvement and 3) a RSTB is not useful at all because the package shelf acts as one.

I can say that with the FSTB and RSB, my 2001 GXE's handling is tremendously improved.

Your metallic clunking is not typical at all and should be looked into. I, also, would check items in the trunk first, followed by loose rear suspension parts. You might also check that the rear seat cushion is not loose!

Yes, these kind of problems are most annoying but I would blame them on lousy dealer service, not Nissan. You paid a goodly sum for dealer prep or some such (look on the sticker), for which they typically just rip off the shipping plastic, wash the car and MAYBE check fluids and air. They should check the car over really, really good before handing it off as this is the last chance to find a serious safety defect before giving to a customer to drive off the lot and on to the freeway.

 

Will a Stillen RSB from 4th gen fit the 5th gen?

 

I heard that the first time my 2002 went over a large bump...really scary...sounds like suspension is loose...but its not.

The tools for removing the spare tire and using the jack are in a vinyl bag laying on top of the spare tire. I removed the tools, tied them together with two cloth straps and placed them back where they were. I also velcroed my license plate to the car. Metallic sound gone.

 

go to your trunk and check the compartment where the jack is, take the jack out and put your arm into the compartment and see if something fell in and is making the noise. I had the same problem and it drove me crazy that i almost took the back of my car apart. Then i looked in that compartment and tada! i found a bracket that holds the carpeting banging against the metal of the car everytime i hit a bump.

hope this helps.

 

They are compatible.



Don't forget about the Lemon law fellas.